Unseen Forces Shaping Tomorrow: AI, Defense Innovation, and the Deepfake Threat, Fundings: Phase Four, Zelim, Catalyx
22 January 2025 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
Reality Defender: Congratulations to Reality Defender for their incredible work in combating the rising threat of deepfake fraud. As phishing attacks evolve with the use of AI-generated voice manipulations, Reality Defender is stepping up with innovative solutions to protect organizations from financial losses and reputational damage.
Their downloadable case study highlights how one of the world’s largest financial institutions leverages its tools to safeguard high-net-worth clients from deepfake scams. Additionally, their on-demand webinar educates on real-world examples of deepfake fraud and explains why traditional security measures are no longer enough to counter these sophisticated attacks. With predictions of $40 billion in losses to deepfake fraud by 2027, Reality Defender’s proactive measures are making a real difference in securing industries, especially finance and insurance, from this growing threat.
HawkEye 360: The competitive landscape of defense technology is rapidly evolving as corporate venture capital (CVC) arms from giants like Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Airbus increasingly collaborate—and compete—while investing in innovative startups. With the Pentagon prioritizing cutting-edge tech in areas like AI, space systems, and advanced manufacturing, opportunities for new entrants have surged, though challenges around strategy, intellectual property, and contracting remain.
HawkEye 360 stands out as a shining example, securing investments from RTX, Airbus Ventures, and Shield Capital to advance its groundbreaking satellite technologies. This recognition underscores HawkEye 360’s vital role in shaping the future of defense innovation—an exciting win for the company and the industry at large!
A Spymaster Sheikh Controls a $1.5 Trillion Fortune. He Wants to Use It to Dominate AI
In the mid-2000s, Hydra, a powerful chess-playing supercomputer, was hailed as the world's greatest chess player. With a unique 32-processor system, Hydra was both revered and feared for its strategic dominance over human grandmasters. Its development was sponsored by a mysterious Emirati chess enthusiast, known as "zor_champ" online, who used the machine to compete in chess tournaments, often winning with the help of Hydra.
However, Hydra's reign was short-lived, overtaken by newer technologies by the late 2000s. Its sponsor, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan, would go on to become a highly influential figure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with control over vast wealth and a significant role in the country's tech and security sectors.
Sheikh Tahnoun's wealth and power expanded as he focused on transforming the UAE into an AI superpower, leveraging the nation's oil wealth, energy resources, and geopolitical advantages. His company, G42, was pivotal in forging ties with both China and the US, particularly in AI and surveillance technologies.
Amid increasing tensions over technology control, Tahnoun pivoted away from China in 2024, aligning with US tech firms like Microsoft to access critical AI resources, such as Nvidia chips. As his influence grew, concerns about national security risks also emerged, with the US wary of the UAE’s authoritarian tendencies and potential ties to Chinese interests. Tahnoun’s control over vast wealth, his deep involvement in the AI race, and his strategic alliances raise questions about the future role of the UAE in global technology development and geopolitical affairs.
More links to explore:
Founded: 2015
Key People: CEO Stephen Kiser Ph.D
Elevator Pitch: Satellite propulsion systems designed to economically advance space missions.
Funding: The company raised $12.93 million of Series C venture funding in a deal led by Artemis Energy Holdings on January 17, 2025.
Founded: 2017
Key People: CEO Samuel Mayall
Elevator Pitch: Semi-autonomous unmanned search and rescue boats intended to provide offshore safety.
Funding: The company joined Plug and Play Tech Center as a part of its DuelTech by Takeoff acceleration program on January 20, 2025 and received GBP 100,000 in funding.
Key People: CEO Rifath Shaarook
Founded: 2024
Elevator Pitch: Unmanned space labs and re-entry capsules designed to support research, manufacturing, and other space-related activities.
Funding: The company raised $1.7 million of pre-seed funding in a deal led by Hacker Fellowship Zero on January 20, 2025.
Look for a new episode of the Securing the Future Podcast wherever you listen. In our most recent episode, general partner Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with journalist Tim Mak for a powerful discussion on national security, his experiences reporting from Ukraine, and insights from his acclaimed work on the NRA and global conflict.
